Microsoft’s ‘Tracking Protection’ standard for IE9 accepted by W3C

In Internet Explorer 9 RC version, Microsoft introduced its new protection function –Tracking Protection. To further protect user privacy, users can easily block specific or multiple sites to track their online activities. W3C has accepted Microsoft’s submission of multiple standards and published Microsoft’s member submission for an Internet standard, and the new “tracking protection” may also be adopted as a W3C Web standard.

Last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission proposed a framework for the protection of consumer privacy. It irecommended to provide permanent browser settings to use to protect users from unknowingly being collected browsing data. Subsequently, Microsoft, Mozilla, Google and other browser vendors are beginning to develop “anti-tracking” feature.

Microsoft is the first manufacturer of this technology, and the technology to be submitted to the W3C standard.

Microsoft submitted the contents of Tracking Protection to W3C, and said that such a step was “both timely and consistent with the objectives and key alliance”. Microsoft has submitted two different mechanisms for privacy protection, one is the filter list (by shielding the list next week through the scripts and iframes and other third-party content); the other is the “tracking and protection,” user settings.

In March, W3C standards will make further announcements and “tracking and protection” mechanism is likely to be incorporated into Web standards.

To use Tracking protection feature of IE9 RC, do the following:

Click on Tools option available in IE9.

Then click on Safety and select Tracking Protection option from there.

Now add the list of websites according to your choice.

This is what Dean Hachamovitch, Corporate Vice President of Internet Explorer said – “We look forward to working with the community through the W3C on a common standard for Internet Privacy. It will help consumers who use browsers that support it.”

Nitin Agarwal is an MVP alumni and a Pro Blogger. He was awarded as Most Valuable Professional for 3 times by Microsoft in Windows Expert - Consumer category. He is immensely inspired by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and APJ Abdul Kalam.